Hiroko DarkAngel
by Destiny Goddess - on hiatus
Summary: Complete Misaki remains undefeated after six years. But not for long...
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own the Angelic Layer characters. They belong to CLAMP. Except for Yoko and Hiroko  
  
---  
  


You humans are so silly. You imagine you have limits, so limits are created. How stupid you are. For if you can create limits just by imagining them, then you can surely take them down. Perhaps you are afraid of what will happen if you exceed the limits. Perhaps you are afraid of things like me.

  
  
Chapter 1  
  
**Her name is Yoko. Mihara Yoko. **  
_Mihara? _  
**I hear you. You know that name. **  
_Yes._  
**Yoko is the youngest member of the Mihara family. The one you never hear about.**  
_Why?_  
**Because she created me. Because she is different.**  
_How?_  
**She is that person you see on the street, in the mall. She is the person you stare openly at because she is not like you. She is the person you laugh at because she can't speak, can't move, can't act like a normal human being. She is also very special.**  
_Why?_  
**She broke the barrier. She went beyond the limits of imagination. She made me live. **  
_Who are you?_  
**I am the DarkAngel. Do not be fooled by my name. I was not evil in nature. It is only that you have made me so. I am the angel whom you scorn in the layer. I am the different one. So I am feared. People always fear what's different.**  
  
---  
Misaki ran down the street, trying to reach Kotaro's house before it started raining. She clutched Hikaru in one hand, the other hand encircling her umbrella. She and Kotaro were planning a surprise party for Tamayo for her nineteenth birthday.  
"I wish Kotaro-kun would have given us more time," she told Hikaru, "He asked Tamayo to come at 5:30 and it's already 3:30."  
Hikaru, as usual, didn't reply.  
  
She reached Kotaro's house several minutes later and found a note on the door.  
  
_Misaki-chan,  
I'm at the dojo setting up for the party. I forgot to get a birthday cake. Can you please do something about that? Thanks. You know where the key is if you need to get in.  
Koutarou_  
  
Misaki laughed at his formality and then sighed. She didn't have any money to buy a cake and she didn't want to be caught in the rain with one. She'd just have to make something. She found the key and opened the door.   
An investigation of the kitchen found a slight lack of baking supplies. Improvisation was in order. Calling on her years of experience, she decided on small cakes. As she was getting everything, the telephone rang.  
She picked it up, "Hello?"  
"Hey Misaki-chan," Kotaro answered.  
"You could have told me about the cake sooner."  
"Yeah, well, I just finished setting up. Hatoko is going to stay here and make sure Tamayo doesn't burst in unexpectedly. She has a history of doing that. Do you need anything?"  
"No, I'm fine."  
"Okay, see you soon, bye," Kotaro hung up the telephone.  
Misaki got back to her task. As she was mixing the dough, Kotaro came in. Misaki ignored him and continued. Soon, however, he was getting underfoot.  
"Get out of the kitchen," she ordered him.  
"It's my kitchen, you can't order me out," he protested, attempting to snitch some of the dough.  
"Oh yeah? Just watch me," she retorted slapping his hand away.  
"What happened? You used to be so nice," he teased.  
"That's what happens when you hang out with Tamayo all the time," she responded, forming small cakes on a pan.   
He attempted to snitch some dough again. This time, Misaki chased him out of the kitchen with a spatula.  
  
They got out of the house with the cakes at about 5:00. They reached the dojo twenty minutes later.   
"Do you have candles?" Misaki asked Kotaro as they hurriedly set out the cakes.  
"Why?"  
"Because I want you to put one candle on each cake."  
"But there's at least thirty."  
"Do it fast."  
Finally, they got set up and Misaki joined everyone else in hiding. Kotaro and Hatoko waited for Tamayo to arrive. After what seemed like an eternity, Misaki heard Tamayo's voice drifting in from the entrance.  
"Hey Kotaro-chan," her greeting was punctuated by an angry growl from Kotaro, "I thought Misakichi would be here. Is she?"  
"Um... er... no," Misaki banged her head softly against the door she was standing next to. Leave it to Kotaro to be so tactless.  
"Come on," Hatoko said, and her voice was followed by the sound of footsteps coming closer... closer... Tamayo walked into the room and promptly jumped as she was greeted by a chorus of, "Surprise!"  
"Happy birthday, Tamayo-chan," Misaki said coming forward.  
"Ah-ha! I knew you were here!" Here Tamayo put Kotaro in a headlock. This action was followed by a gurgle from Kotaro.  
"Let's party!" Ringo stepped forward and presented Tamayo with her latest CD.  
As the music came on, Misaki drifted towards the food table and began contemplating her Angelic Layer battle the next day. She wished that Kotaro and Tamayo had angels so that they could compete too. Kotaro had gotten the supplies to make an angel, but he hadn't started yet. She leaned against the wall and picked up a glass of fruit punch. She hadn't taken more than a sip when she felt a tug at her sleeve.  
"Hey, do you want to dance?" A voice asked.  
"No, not real..." she trailed off as she looked up and her eyes met Ohjiro's, "Ohjiro! What are you doing here?"  
"I was invited if that's what you're asking," he said.  
"I just haven't seen you in awhile. You're still doing university, right?"  
"Yeah. I haven't had much spare time," he took the cup out of Misaki's hand and pulled her out onto the floor where most of the other guests were dancing to Ringo's latest music. They passed Tamayo who was practicing karate on Kotaro who was desperately trying to get away.  
"So you're in the tournament tomorrow?" Ohjiro asked as they reached the rest of the crowd.  
"Yeah. I'm nervous. I know I haven't been beaten since I became champion six years ago, but I'm still nervous."  
"I understand. I'm going to be competing too. I hope to meet you in the layer."  
"Let's forget about it. It's tomorrow. Not today."  



	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
---  
  
**Tomorrow will be different.**  
_How?_  
**Tomorrow we will have a victory. Tomorrow we will show our new strength. Last time we battled, we lost. Tomorrow will be different. We have new power.**  
_Why?_  
**From a fearful mind, only fear itself can emerge.**  
  
  
Misaki woke up in the middle of the night, drenched with cold sweat. She struggled to remember the dream. There had been a small angel and a teenage girl in a wheelchair. The angel had walked towards Misaki. Coming from it was a warm darkness. It had surrounded her. She didn't know why it scared her. It had felt so nice. So soft. So wrong.  
She got out of bed and pulled on her robe. She took Hikaru and placed her on the small practice layer that Ohjiro had given her when she had advanced to the national games six years before. Slipping the headset on, she plugged it in. The light from the machine made the shadows around her shrink back and lengthen behind the doors. Hikaru opened her eyes and smiled, awaiting further instruction.  
Shouko woke up several hours later, and heard a faint strain of music. She followed the sound to Misaki's room and opened the door quietly. Misaki sat on the floor, her eyes fixed on Hikaru, who danced gracefully around the layer. Shouko heard a soft sound behind her and turned to see Shuuko behind her. Shuuko smiled and held up Athena. Shouko stepped aside as her sister moved into Misaki's room. Misaki jumped when Athena flew into the layer, joining Hikaru as she danced to the soft music. Shuuko slid onto the floor beside Misaki and pulled her daughter into a hug.  
"Let's sleep," she said, "You need rest for tomorrow."  
"O-O-Okay," Misaki yawned, leaning forward to retrieve Hikaru as the song died away. She slipped into bed and was asleep before her head hit the pillow.  
  
When she woke up the next morning, the sun was streaming in her windows. She rolled over to go back to sleep, then sat bolt upright. She jumped out of bed and skidded into the kitchen five minutes later, pulling on her coat.  
"Shouko-san! Why didn't you wake me up?" She yelled, and was surprised when her mother answered.  
"Because you were sleeping."  
"Where's Shouko-san?" Misaki asked, pulling on her shoes.  
"She had to work today, didn't you know? And where are you going without any breakfast?"  
"The tournament starts today," Misaki grabbed the lunch that Shuuko held out to her.  
Shuuko looked thoughtful, "I had forgotten."  
"WHAT?!" Misaki screeched, "But I have to go now," she raced out the door.  
"That girl is always in a rush," Shuuko laughed, as the door slammed shut. She picked up the telephone and dialed a number.  
"Hello?" Icchan's voice drifted through the line.  
"Icchan, are you sure she should be fighting? If Misaki beats her, then she might-"  
"It'll be fine. I have a lot of faith in her. I've got to go surprise Misaki now with a bit of friendly advice. See you later," he hung up, leaving Shuuko clutching the reciever.  
"I'm not sure if I have the same faith in her as you do Icchan," she said softly.  
  
*insert suspensful music here*  
It might take me awhile to write the next chapter. Sorry. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 is finally here!!! This is so exciting.... No, not really actually. There isn't much action here, folks, but it does make you think a little bit...  
---  
**Today. Today has finally arrived. This will be an interesting day.**  
_Why?_  
**Wait and see. **  
---  
Misaki skidded into the arrivals hall in the stadium as the receptionist gave the last call for entries.   
"I'm here!" She called, running toward the desk.  
"Ah, Misaki-chan, back for another year?" The receptionist smiled warmly, "You should give the poor deuses a break."  
"Not a chance!" Misaki grinned, "I need to defend my title, and they need someone to keep them on their toes."  
"Misakichi! Misakichi!" Tamayo's voice echoed through the hall, "We thought you would miss sign up!"  
Misaki turned just in time to see Koutarou nod his head as best he could from within a headlock.  
"Ah, Tamayo," Misaki shook her head, "If you keep attacking Kotaro-kun, he won't go out with you anymore."  
"Oops," Tamayo dropped her arm from around Koutarou's neck and instead draped it around his shoulders, "And it's Kotaro-CHAN, Misakichi. CHAN."  
"Much better," Koutarou massaged his throat and held up a small doll, "I'm entering this year. I hope I face you Misaki-chan. And it's KUN, Tamayo. KUN. I might stop dating you if you don't catch onto that."  
"Don't think I'll go easy on you if we meet, Kotaro-chan," Misaki smiled and then turned to Tamayo, "Are you ever going to make your own angel, Tamayo?"  
"Actually, I'm going to wait a little longer. Don't laugh, but I had this dream and..." She trailed off as a voice crackled over the loudspeaker calling the champion to come to the layer.  
"I've got to go guys, see you later!" Misaki ran toward the door, clutching Hikaru in one hand.  
"What did you dream, Tamayo-chan?" Koutarou asked Tamayo as Misaki disappeared through the stadium door.  
"It - It's nothing, really," she stuttered, "Can I see your angel?"  
Knowing better than to argue, Koutarou lifted his angel gently out of his bag, "His name is Masao. He - He isn't very good. I made his clothes myself, and Hatoko helped me make his body."  
Tamayo was surprised at it. It wasn't perfect. The short, bluish-black hair was ragged and there were a few threads sticking out from his armor, but something made it seem like it was very beautifully made.   
"It's quite good, actually," Tamayo remarked, "It has something that many of those 'perfect' angels don't."  
"What do you mean?" Kotaro asked her.  
"It was made with, with love, I guess."  
"I don't get it."  
"Neither do I really."  
"I should probably go now Tamayo-chan, they will be calling the deuses any minute for the entry."  
"Okay! I'll be cheering for you, Kotaro-chan. I'm glad I'm friends with the champion. I got front row seats!"  
Koutarou rolled his eyes and walked away.  
_Eyes of ice calling to me,_ Tamayo thought, _That's what I dreamed, Kotaro-chan._  
  
---  
Now wasn't that great? Anyway... Chapter 4 will be a while in coming. Hold tight, folks, it's about to get interesting (if it hasn't already). 


	4. Chapter 4

Here's Chapter 4! I made up for the shortness of chapter 3... I hope... Hope you enjoy it!  
---  
**Screams echo through my mind. Something is going to happen.**  
_What?_  
**Something bad. I do not know to whom it will happen. Right now, though, it seems as if the screams are of rage.**  
_Against Whom?_  
**Against those who scorn and hate us. Does that satisfy your curiosity?**  
_Yes._  
---  
Cheers echoed through the stadium as the deuses tossed their angels into the layer. The entry lines were all but lost in the roar of sound.  
"Be my angel, Masao!" Koutarou yelled and threw Masao onto the layer. The tall angel landed gracefully, his emerald green eyes flickering nervously around the layer in perfect synchronization with his deus's.  
"Now that all the angels are in the layer, I would like to introduce our champion's angel!" The announcer's voice rang out over the noise following a sharp screech from the microphone, "And here's HIKARU!"  
As he yelled Hikaru's name, the angel flew into the layer. As she entered the boundaries and threw off the golden glow that surrounded her, two large angel's wings unfurled behind her and she drifted gently into the center of the layer. Misaki beamed from her chair and Hikaru waved from the layer, her smile matching Misaki's.  
As the cheers died down, the announcer called out, "Now, let us not waste any more time. Our first battle will be between angel Masao, dues, Kobayashi Koutarou, and angel Reiko, dues Satoshi Meiko."  
All the deuses retrieved their angels and filed out, leaving the two opponents.  
"Is this your first time battling?" Meiko asked Koutarou, making him jump.  
"Uh... yeah, how about you?" His heart was pounding with excitement toward the upcoming battle.  
"Er... I was in the tournament last year, but I didn't get past the first round," she smiled apologetically, "But we had better start this battle. The natives are getting restless," she jerked a thumb at the crowd.  
They walked to their sides of the layer and soon the battle was underway.  
Misaki slid into the seat beside Tamayo.  
"Hey!" Tamayo said loudly, and was immediately shushed by the people behind her, "Oh, go to-"  
"Tamayo!" Misaki hissed at her, "Be quiet, Kotaro-chan is battling."  
"Oh yeah, I forgot."  
They turned back just in time to see Masao dodge a spin kick by Reiko. The female angel darted around the layer (an amazing feat considering that she was wearing a tight kimono). Masao chased her, but couldn't quite keep up.  
It's going to be hard for Kotaro to win this one, Misaki thought, Reiko is lightweight and built for speed, while Masao is heavyweight. Masao is still fast, but he can't contend with Reiko. THINK KOTARO-CHAN! THINK, DAMN YOU!  
Suddenly, a roar went up from the crowd. Misaki focussed on the ring and saw Reiko teetering on the edge of the layer. Masao had locked hands with her and was slowly forcing her back. Then, with a last, almighty push, Reiko was out of the layer and Masao was prancing back to the center.  
The crowd cheered wildly as Masao raised his hands in a victory salute. The crowd never seemed to notice that the cape was slightly uneven, or that the jeans that he wore were patched or that his hair was uneven.  
From a window overlooking the stadium, a small figure in a wheelchair watched, and tears spilled down her cheeks in a wish for the love of the audience. The person beside her stroked her hair and placed a small angel in her lap.  
"It is your turn," he whispered, "show them what you're made of."  
  
"For the next battle, we have someone who battled several years ago, and has finally resurfaced, and someone who has been battling for six years!" The announcer called out, "Please welcome angel Hiroko, Deus Yoko- do we have a last name? No? Okay then, also battling is our very own champion, angel Hikaru, Deus Suzuhara Misaki!"  
The crowd roared as Misaki walked onto the stage. She waved wildly at everyone and then looked around for her opponent. Looking toward the entrance to the stadium, she saw a tall woman pushing a girl in a wheelchair. Misaki's blood went cold._ Eyes of ice_. She had seen this girl before.  
"Misaki! Calling Suzuhara Misaki!" The announcer called and the crowd laughed, "Step up to the layer!"  
Misaki shook herself and then walked to her chair. She slid the headset on and pressed the activation button. Taking a deep breath, she hurled Hikaru into the layer.   
"May the wings of an angel please guide me and Hikaru!" She cried the same entry line that she had used at her first tournament. It hadn't changed since then.  
She looked over at Yoko. The girl was now in the chair with a headset on. She said nothing, but her eyes flickered to her angel, who was somehow standing up in her lap. The angel leapt off her lap and drifted slowly into the layer. A crimson glow surrounded Hiroko and wings unfurled from her back. A gasp went up from the audience. The wings were not angel's wings, but the skeletons of bat wings. There was a webbing of shadow, but nothing more between the ribs. Hiroko drifted into the layer and opened her eyes. They were a warm black, but somehow, they held a cold, hard expression. The angel turned so that she faced Hikaru and Misaki. A strange smile crept onto her face, and she shifted into a combat stance. Hikaru did the same.  
"AND NOW," the announcer yelled out, "ANGELIC FIGHT!"  
---  
*suspenseful music* Don't expect chapter 5 anytime soon because I've got school and all that to keep up with... 


	5. Chapter 5

Yay! Chapter 5 is finally here! Took me awhile, but I did it. Enjoy.  
  
---  
**Finally. This is it.**  
_What?_  
**The end of ridicule. Forever.**  


---

Misaki smiled. _This should be fun._ She meant it with no malice, but somehow, in her mind, the words twisted around. _I don't mean it like that. 'Yeah, sure,'_ her mind spat back.

  


She focussed on the game again. Hikaru dodged an attack moments before it hit. She raced around the layer. Hiroko streaked after her. Within seconds, she had caught up and before Misaki realized it, Hikaru had taken a hit and was down. _That angel's speed is unreal,_ she thought, frowning. Something wasn't right. She looked over at Hiroko's deus. She sat motionless, seemingly not following Hiroko or Hikaru's moves at all. She wasn't even looking at Misaki. _How can she control her angel without looking at anything?_ As small voice in her head responded,_ Maybe she isn't controlling it._ Misaki pushed it away and urged Hikaru to get up. As Hikaru got to her feet, Hiroko lunged forward, nearly knocking Hikaru off her feet. Just in time, Hikaru spread her wings and pushed away from the ground.

  


Hiroko then vanished abruptly. Misaki looked wildly around. Then she gasped aloud. A darkness had surrounded Hikaru, who fought wildly. Misaki focussed and found the source. Hikaru wrenched herself free of the darkness and aimed a wild kick at Hiroko. Apparently, the angel was unprepared, because she spun across the layer, stopping herself just at the edge. Suddenly, the black eyes snapped to a fierce dark red. The angel stood perfectly still.

  


Misaki took a chance, "HIKARU!" She screamed. Hikaru threw a punch at Hiroko, but it seemed to bounce off an invisible force. Hiroko smiled and her already hard eyes hardened even more. And everything went black.

  


"HIKARU!" Misaki screamed again, tearing off her headset. She leapt out of her chair and landed hard on the floor. She didn't notice. She was running as she hit the ground. She reached the layer as the lights came back on. Hikaru lay on the edge of the layer, her face and clothes blackened. Long tears were in her armor and deep gashes were in her body. Her eyes were closed and Misaki could have sworn that she saw a tear glistening on her cheek. She picked up the small form gingerly in her arms and turned towards her adversary, questions on her face.

  


The girl sat perfectly still, staring straight ahead. The angel, however, stood in the center of the layer, her arms crossed and a malicious grin spread across her features. Misaki stared at her for a minute, frozen in shock, then ran out of the stadium, tears streaming down her face.

  


---

  


Watching from the sidelines, Tamayo saw her run.

  


"MISAKICHI!" She screamed. She leapt from her seat and ran as fast as she could to the deus waiting room. Koutarou was there, but there was no sign of Misaki.

  


"Tamayo-chan, what's the matter?" Koutarou asked looking up into Tamayo's eyes.

  


"Weren't you watching Misakichi's battle?" She asked him.

  


"No, I just got back. I wanted to, but I had to change something on Masao and I just missed it. Did she win?"

  


"If she had, would I be here?" Tamayo asked, already preparing to leave to look for Misaki.

  


"She lost? But- HOW?" Koutarou was incredulous.

  


"I dunno. Her opponent's angel did this freaky thing... I can't describe it and - and that was it," She finished quickly.

  


"Where would she be?" Koutarou asked.

  


"How would I know?" Tamayo asked. She turned and ran out of the room. Koutarou followed her as quickly as he could.

  


---

Misaki sat beneath a small cherry tree in the courtyard. Tears ran down her face and splashed to the dirt below. She held Hikaru close to her chest. She wasn't sobbing anymore. The calm always came after a storm of tears.

  


_Why me?_ She asked herself,_ What did I ever do to deserve this? What was with that angel anyway? I'm sorry Hikaru. I let down my guard and you were nearly destroyed. Why am I running away? Why am I letting this hurt me? I can fix Hikaru. I'm not afraid of anybody._ She wiped away her tears and stood up. Brushing the dirt off her body, she walked toward the building.

  


"Hello again," a voice said, very near her ear.

  


Misaki screamed and spun around, nearly knocking Icchan over, "Oh, it's only you."

  


"What do you mean, only me?" Icchan asked indignantly.

  


"Never mind. Why are you here?"

  


"To help you fix your angel. She really isn't in very good shape right about now."

  


"Yeah, I know."

  


"Here, I'll fix her," Icchan pulled a toolbox from somewhere and opened it. Misaki decided to go along with this and handed Hikaru over.

  


In what seemed no time at all, Hikaru was fixed and Misaki was mending her uniform.

  


"I know why you lost," Icchan said suddenly.

  


"What do you mean? Why did I lose?"

  


"I shouldn't have said that. I'll tell you later."

  


"Why can't you tell me now?"

  


"I just... Never mind."

  


---

From inside the building, a figure in a wheelchair watched, clutching a triumphantly smiling angel.

  
---  
  
Well, there you have it... Chapter 6 will be long in coming, what with the rush of school and all that stuff... 


	6. Chapter 6

Hurrah!!!! new chappie! Please say that this is long enough... I slaved away for so long on inspirationless nights... no I'm kidding... but anyway, ENJOY!!!! or else.  
---  
  


**This is a happy day.**  
_No. No. This is wrong._  
**Why is it wrong?**  
_You hurt her._  
**She hurt us first. She deserved it.**

---  


Misaki sat on the couch, crying uncontrollably. Shouko sat beside her and handed her tissue after tissue.

"Calm down," She commanded her niece, "Now, what's this all about?"

"You know," Misaki accused, taking the proffered tissues and blowing her nose, "You were there."

"Okay, so I was. But don't you think you're over rea-"

"NO!" Misaki yelled, jumping up, "You don't understand. That angel, that deus, whatever they were, they almost destroyed Hikaru."

"Sit down. Hikaru is fixed. You don't have to face them again."

"But I got knocked out of the competition. Other people will still have to face them."

"Calm down, Misaki-chan," her mother's voice drifted in through the doorway, "Everyone loses. Everyone faces an exceptionally difficult challenge in life. This is just one of those."

"But-"

"Don't 'but' me, young lady. Mother knows best. Now go to bed, sleep off the anger and wake up refreshed in the morning."

"But-"

"Go."

"Okay."

Misaki slowly made her way to her room. She flopped down onto her bed, and was asleep within minutes.

Downstairs, her mother and aunt were talking.

"Shuuko, how did that angel beat Hikaru?"

"I don't know, but I know the reason why it acted that way."

"What is it?"

"Well..."

  


Misaki woke up refreshed in the morning. She glanced at the clock. It was only 10:00. She still had an hour before Koutarou's battle. 

_Will Kotaro-chan make it in the finals? He's facing that angel... He'll do fine,_ she told herself firmly.

"Misaki-chan!" Shouko called down the hallway, "I'm waiting for my breakfast!"

Misaki laughed and joined her aunt in the kitchen right away.

"What's on the menu today, Misaki-chan?"

"Well, there's rice... rice... more rice... I really need to go shopping."

"I'll pick up something on my way to work then."

Shouko pulled her hand mirror out of her purse.

"I'm beginning to look thirty years old," she sighed.

"Don't say that, Shouko-san," Misaki laughed, "Just think of yourself as thirty years young."

"That doesn't help."

"Then don't look at your reflection."

"You think I look old too."

"No - That's not it at all."

"Don't try to cover for yourself, Misaki-chan, it doesn't work."

"You're right."

"Of course I am. Just agree with me, and you'll be fine."

"Okay, you look old."

"Don't agree with me about that!"

"But you said-"

"Misaki-chan?"

"Yes?"

"Don't you have to leave now?"

Misaki glanced at the clock. 10:30.

"EEKS!!!"

Misaki grabbed her coat and ran out the door.

"That girl," Shouko shook her head.

  


Misaki met Tamayo and Koutarou outside the stadium.

"Tamayo-chan! What are you wearing?"

Tamayo was dressed in what looked like her junior high school uniform, only with a black undershirt, black tights and black combat boots.

"I decided to resurrect memories of the good old days."

"But why the black?"

"I wanted to jazz it up a little."

"Misakichi," Koutarou stepped in, "Don't argue with her, it never works."

"True."

Tamayo flashed a grin and began to pull Misaki away.

"We've got to get to our seats now, Kotaro-chan. Good luck in the finals!"

"Tamayo-chan," Misaki said suddenly.

"What is it?"

"Do you- do you think that Kotaro-chan is in any danger?"

"Why would I think that? Seriously, Misakichi, I think you need a bit more sleep or somethin', 'cause you aren't making any sense at all. It's only an Angelic Fight."

"Tamayo, don't you remember what happened when I fought that angel?"

"Yeah, but I think that it'll be disqualified if it does that again."

"Maybe. But- Ohjiro-kun seemed really evasive when I brought that up in our last conversation, and Icchan-san won't answer me if I ask him about it. And that deus. She didn't seem to be focussing on her angel at all, it was like she wasn't controlling it and-"

"Misakichi! Snap out of it. Nothing is wrong, and nothing bad is going to happen," Tamayo interrupted, pushing Misaki into a seat.

"That's what you think," Misaki muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing. I didn't say anything."

"Sure. Whatever," knowing her friend never lied unless she had a good reason, Tamayo decided to let it be.

"Shh, it's starting," an annoyed voice came from somewhere behind them.

Misaki faced the layer, staring at it, a fear growing in her mind. She clutched Hikaru with shaking hands. _Kotaro-chan, don't get hurt._

Tamayo glanced at Misaki. _She looks really worried. Maybe there is something to fear. I've known Misakichi for six years and she isn't afraid of anything in Angelic Layer. I hope Kotaro-chan will be alright..._

The crowd roared as Koutarou walked out into the spotlight. Misaki and Tamayo cheered along with all the rest, but when a young woman brought out the girl in the wheelchair, Misaki went pale and stopped cheering. There were some hisses and boos from the audience as the girl was wheeled into the stadium.

Suddenly Tamayo noticed something. The girl looked sad and afraid. She seemed paler than before and looked like she could break at any moment. The real wave of sadness, however, came when Tamayo looked at the angel. She could have sworn that in the angel's eyes was imprinted a look of pure anguish and grief. Nobody else noticed any of this; they were all too busy being angry at the pair for devastating their champion. _It'll be okay._ Tamayo silently told the angel, and she nearly saw a flicker of hope in the angel's eyes.

  


Down in the arena, Koutarou smiled at the crowd. This was the biggest battle of his career so far. If he could beat the angel that Misaki failed to beat... He shook his head._ I can't think like that. Misakichi is one of my best friends._ He kept smiling as he slid into the chair and put on his headset. He smiled as he watched the girl get put into the seat. He even smiled as they did their entries. In fact, he continued to smile right up until the point that he got a look into Hiroko's eyes.

  


Misaki saw his face go white as he saw his opponent in full for the first time. _He's afraid now,_ she thought. She knew that fear was your worst enemy in the layer, even more so than the angel itself was._ He's doomed._

Tamayo saw Misaki's face and knew that her friend saw something that she didn't. _Kotaro-chan, you can do it, I know you can._

  


"ANGELIC FIGHT!" The announcer's voice rang through the stadium. Down on the layer, the angels tensed, ready to start.

"GO MASAO!!!" Koutarou yelled, shoving aside his fear. _I will defeat you._ He said silently to his opponent. _You hurt my friend._

  
---  
longer, no? I hope it was enjoyable. Please review. and do not, i repeat, DO NOT be afraid to tell me to improve (on something other than my chapter length) I need to get better at this. thank you!!!!!! 


	7. Chapter 7

It gets exciting in this chapter.  
----  


**I - I've never felt so - so scared and so... alone**  
_Why are you alone?_  
**I don't know. Yoko... she doesn't talk to me anymore...**

  
---  


Koutarou braced himself as Hiroko struck out. Masao wove around Hiroko's punches, but he was unprepared for the kick. The angel was sent flying, but he righted himself in the air and landed softly at the edge of the layer.

_What's wrong?_ Koutarou asked himself_ This angel doesn't seem as strong as she did when Misakichi was facing her._

  


Ohjiro squinted at the layer.

"Ichiro-san," he asked his older brother, "Does Hiroko seem slightly... oh, I don't know... off, to you?"

"If you mean that she doesn't seem to be landing as many hits as she should be, then I'd say yes."

"Do you think the problem is with the angel itself?" His voice almost had a note of hope.

"I know you don't want this answer, but I think something is wrong with Yoko."

"But - but, why is it happening now? I mean - the accident was five years ago..."

  


Tamayo's eyes followed the female angel as she darted around the layer.

"Misakichi, is it just me, or does Hiroko seem slower than usual?"

"I - I don't know, I was following Masao. Why do you care so much about that angel anyway?"

_Because she was in my dream,_ but out loud she said, "I dunno... just - she's interesting to watch."

  


"Shouko-oneechan, do you think that Misaki's friend has any chance?"

"I don't know, but it seems to me that something is wrong with both the deus and the angel..."

  


Koutarou didn't pay much attention to the angel's sudden lapse of strength. He was winning, and he needed all the help he could get, although he wouldn't admit to that much. Masao aimed a kick at Hiroko but missed. Koutarou couldn't help noticing that his opponent stumbled slightly as she dodged. He glanced at the deus. The teenager sat still, her eyes just barely focussed on the layer. He squinted at her, thinking he saw a tear glisten in the corner of one of the dark eyes. There was no tear, but her eyes seemed to be filled with unimaginable fear. _What is she afraid of? Is she afraid she'll lose?_ But no, that couldn't be it. Why be afraid of a mere defeat?

  


"Tamayo-chan," Misaki looked at her friend, who had suddenly seized the arms of her chair, her hands so tightly clenched that the knuckles were white. "What's wrong?"

"Something... just isn't right," she whispered back.

"Tamayo, snap out of it."

"I just don't understand..."

"Tamayo!" Misaki stared at her friend. Something was upsetting Tamayo, and Misaki was sure that it had something to do with that strange angel.

  


"Ohjiro, you know that it had to come to this sometime," Icchan told his younger brother, "None of us can ever be ready, but we have to be able to deal."

"I know. But- she's still so young, and- and," Ohjiro stopped and dashed away the tears that had begun to run down his cheeks.

"I know," Icchan put his arm around Ohjiro's shoulders and tried hard to blink away the tears that were gathering at the corners of his eyes.

  


"It's time to end this, Masao!" Koutarou yelled, moving Masao into an offensive stance, but Hiroko was faster.

The angel rose into the air and unfurled her shadowy wings. Her eyes turned blood red and a large sphere of shadow grew between her hands. Just as she was about to unleash her final attack, she stopped and turned slowly in midair. The sphere vanished and her eyes returned to their normal colour. Her wings buckled and she fell, crashing onto the layer, where she lay motionless. The health indicator on the big screen flickered and died.

"MASAO WI-" the announcer stopped as Hiroko suddenly moved. The health bar remained at zero, but she got up all the same.

Hiroko didn't move to attack. Instead, she turned to face her deus, who was slumped in the chair in an unnatural position. At that moment, the crowd noticed and an eerie quiet settled over the stadium.

To Koutarou, everything happened so slowly. He pulled off his headset, ready to jump down and see what had happened, but Masao's power didn't shut off. The health indicator went to zero, but he was still moving. Hiroko slowly turned, darkness surrounding her. Anger was in the dark eyes and electricity flicked outward from her small body. Masao ran towards her, almost in slow motion, and flung his arms around his opponent. He held on tight, even as electricity pulsated through his body. His face twisted in pain, but he held on. Finally, Hiroko stopped attacking him. Masao's tight embrace turned to a gentler one of caring. He caressed her and gently rocked her back and forth until she was entirely calm, and then he went limp and fell lifelessly to the layer.

  


Tamayo ran towards the layer. She had jumped over the railing the minute that Hiroko had fallen and was running the moment her feet hit the ground. It took her an eternity to get there. She slid to a halt in front of Hiroko just as Masao shut down. She reached out to the small angel that sat forlornly on the layer.

---  


**It's all over.**  
Then, goodbye.  
**Don't leave!**  
Sorry. But I must.  
**It's over. Over.**  
Don't say that.  
**Who are you?**  
I - I am a friend.  
**I don't need friends.**  
Why not?  
**Because my life is done.**  
No. No it's not.  
**I need Yoko, just as Yoko needed me, and now she's gone, and I can't live unless she lets me.**  
I'll let you live.  
**How can you? You don't understand this all. Yoko kept me alive.**  
And she's still inside of you. She made you live for a reason.  
**She made me live so I could be a companion to her.**  
She made you live so you could find life.  
**Maybe so, but it was her imagination that kept me alive.**  
I can keep you alive.  
**Can you dissolve the boundaries?**  
Together, we can do anything.  
**Thank you. Who are you?**  
My name is... Tamayo.  
**Thank you, Tamayo.**

----  
Interesting, no? I'll reveal everything in the next (and second last chapter)! Ta ta till then! 


	8. Chapter 8

Excitement!!! This is officially the last chapter before the epilogue!!!! I'm sorry it took me so long to write, but school is very taxing on the nerves and the schedule. (i.e. the only reason I'm done is because it's spring break for me right now)

~`~*~`~

Ohjiro had been running for a very long time. The rhythm of his feet pounding on the floor seemed to echo through every corner of his mind, and it was all he could hear. He couldn't believe how long it took to get a place when it mattered most.

People clogged the hallways, all chattering about what had happened. He shouted at them to move, but they just looked at him with huge eyes and whispered to each other. What's so special about him? or, Why can't we go down there. He thinks he's allowed to.

He finally pushed his way through to the entrance to the stadium. His brother was waiting for him with a strange calm settled about him.

"Is she-" Ohjiro didn't want to say it.

Icchan only nodded and put his arm around Ohjiro's shoulders as tears ran down his younger brother's face. They walked into the stadium together but as soon as he saw Yoko, Ohjiro broke away from his brother and ran to her. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. As if to try to escape this moment, he closed his eyes and rocked back and forth.

"Oh-ji-ro."

His eyes flew open and focussed on Yoko's face. Her eyes were barely open and he could feel her breath, faint and ragged, rattling through her body.

"You spoke," he said it calmly, softly, almost as though it didn't come as a surprise. Yoko didn't answer, only smiled gently and closed her eyes.

It took Ohjiro awhile to figure out that she wasn't breathing anymore. When he did, he picked her up very gently and carried her to where Icchan was standing. Neither of them said anything, but each knew what the other was thinking.

"Who- who is she?" Misaki's voice broke the silence that hovered around the people in the arena.

Ohjiro turned to her, tears making his eyes shine. "She was my sister."

The silence was deafening. Only Tamayo, who now cradled Hiroko in her hands, found the courage to speak.

"I'm sorry. What - what happened?"

Icchan spoke, his voice quieter than Misaki had ever heard it before.

"I guess you have the right to know," he said, "well, here goes."

~*~

Shouko sat down beside Shuuko and put her arms around her older sister's shoulders as Shuuko shook with sobs. Together, they had watched the battle from the high balcony where Shouko had been doing her news report. The moment that Hiroko stopped, Shuuko had screamed slightly and gone completely white. Shouko looked up as she heard a small click. She turned toward the cameraman and her eyes widened when she saw the light on that indicated recording. She stood up and turned to him.

"SHUT OFF THE CAMERA! BAKA!" She screamed.

"But ma'am-"

"Don't But Ma'am Me Mister. Shut It Off."

"But we're live..."

"I don't care if we're dancing monkeys. Turn it off or you're fired."

"But we can't just-"

"Oh, yes we can." She walked over, turned off the camera, pointed to the equipment and told him to pack up and leave immediately.

The cameraman stood dumbfounded for several seconds, trying to register that "Tokyo's most beautiful news anchor" had just blown up in his face.

Shouko walked back over to where her older sister sat and knelt down again. Slipping her arms around Shuuko's shoulders again, she gently rocked the small form. Shuuko looked up at her younger sister with tears in her eyes.

"Why did it have to be now?" She whispered shakily. "Why couldn't it have been later. It would have been one of the happiest days of her life since before - since before-"

"I know," Shouko told her. "I know."

~*~

Icchan smiled slightly at Misaki and her friends and put his arm around his younger brother's shoulders.

"I guess you have the right to know, now that you've seen everything. Yes. Yoko was my younger sister. Tomorrow would have been her fifteenth birthday," he stopped and looked fondly at the small form in Ohjiro's arms. "I guess you might think that it was wrong, letting her continue after she did what she did to Hikaru-"

Misaki nodded, biting her lower lip and tightening her grip on her angel.

"But we thought it was for the best. The reason that Hiroko was like that was that Yoko was so depressed. Angelic Layer was her life, before - before-"

"Before what?" Tamayo's voice was soft. Misaki turned and noticed that her friend carried Hiroko gently in her arms as if she were a child. Misaki's face turned pale and her eyes hardened into an expression of betrayal. Tamayo smiled faintly back.

"Well... three years ago, there was an accident. A semi-truck collided with a car at an intersection on one of the highways. Both vehicles exploded, and only one passenger escaped alive."

Koutarou nodded, remembering reading the article in a newspaper. Something about the sole survivor being a young girl of about twelve... Suddenly, he felt sick, "You mean..." He trailed off as Icchan nodded solemnly.

"Yoko was in the car. She was on a trip with one of her friends when it happened. She was just barely alive when they pulled her out. She was on life support for so long that we were ready to pull the plug. Then, Shuuko brought in Hiroko, whom she had found on a shelf in Yoko's room. After that, something happened, and things went uphill. Yoko came out of her coma and began to recognize things. Her mind was completely intact, except for some permanent depression sustained upon hearing that one of her best friends was gone. Her nervous system was another story. She has never been able to move, or even to speak."

"Except until now," Ohjiro spoke softly, but evenly. "She hadn't said a word since the accident." A smile pulled at the corners of his mouth, but only caused more tears to come tumbling down his cheeks.

"Mmm hmm. And the depression ravaged her mental well being so much that she could only escape through angelic layer. Soon, all her feelings took root inside her angel, thus Hiroko, the DarkAngel, was born. She played several times in local competitions, but couldn't keep a hold on her emotions, Hiroko began thinking and moving on her own. As the only feelings she could fathom were despair and pain, she fought with that kind of emotion, twisting it into hatred for all human kind, as they mocked Yoko and herself for being different. That's why she was so powerful. There isn't anything stronger than pure human emotions. I guess you could call Hiroko the very first AI - Artificial Intelligence.

"We let her battle again because we thought it might help her to become happier, especially since the doctors warned that she only had a little while to live. I think it almost worked because she seemed to be happy when she- when she-"

Misaki, Koutarou and Tamayo nodded understandingly.

"What I can't understand is how Hiroko became an AI," Misaki said.

Icchan looked at a loss for answers, but Tamayo spoke for him.

"When you- when something means enough to you, it becomes the central thing of your life. You pour your energy, your love, your whole being into it. Yoko just managed to take it the extra step and made a living creature. I think it's probably because she knew a level of feeling beyond what any of us have experienced. She was crippled for life, so she imagined herself walking, moving, being a normal person, and she wanted it enough that she created a reality. So in a way, Hiroko is Yoko. Yoko lives on in Hiroko."

Misaki looked at her friend as she spoke. Tamayo sounded so sure of herself, as if she had been researching this her whole life. Her eyes swept down to where Hiroko lay nestled in Tamayo's arms. She could have sworn that a smile lingered on the angel's lips and that those were tears glistening in her dark eyes. Misaki remembered her own angel and lifted Hikaru up. The angel was good as new, thanks to Icchan, but somehow, she seemed different, almost alive. A forgiving look had settled on Hikaru's face, but Misaki couldn't tell whom it was meant for, herself or for Hiroko.

Koutarou didn't quite follow everything that Tamayo had said, but somehow, he knew that he agreed. But something still didn't make sense. Why hadn't Masao shut down when he took off the headset? He looked down at the angel in his hands. There was a different sort of look on his face now. It wasn't the plastic looking smile that some angels had; rather, it was a smile that held meaning, one that said, 'You don't need to ask questions, just believe in me. Believe in all of us. That's what we were made for.' Koutarou nodded, suddenly feeling just a little better.

Tamayo seemed much more reserved than usual to her friends. She seemed completely in control of her feelings and seemed calm. That scared them. Tamayo was always the unpredictable, out-of-control one, while Misaki was the quieter one.

"Tamayo-chan," Koutarou said tentatively, "What's wrong?"

Tamayo turned to him, a smile resting on her lips, making a small ray of sunshine through the tears that rolled gently down her cheeks, "I don't know. It's just that Hiroko, I can tell how she's feeling. She's so sad, it's as if she's losing part of her soul. I think, though, that she's ready to begin a new life, even though the walls still aren't quite down."

Koutarou hesitantly put his arms around her shoulders, and when she didn't move, he pulled her closer and hugged her tightly. They made an odd couple, standing there. Tamayo had her shoulder-length brown hair pulled into a ponytail and her odd outfit contrasted very much to her and Koutarou's current attitude. Koutarou was a good five inches taller than her now and wore just jeans and a t-shirt. His black hair stood out darkly from his face, now pale from shock, fear and sadness. But, in spite of the differences in appearance, anyone looking on could see that there was something more there, something deep inside. Now that they were hugging, their angels had been somehow maneuvered into such a position that they were side by side, hands just touching. This couple seemed even odder than their deuses, but there was, once again, something unexplainable there that said they were meant to be together. That something had been strong enough to lend Masao strength enough to comfort Hiroko, even when power had been cut. And those somethings put together made an even better one, one that was able to erase the depression and bring out the sun.

Misaki watched her friends and felt lonely, standing there, in the middle of the room without anyone nearby to comfort her. That was when an arm slipped around her waist and pulled her close to a warm body. She looked up into Ohjiro's dark eyes. He smiled through his fading tears. She returned the smile and put an arm around him as well.

"I'm sorry about - about what happened," Misaki said slowly.

Ohjiro shook his head, "It's okay. I think she was happy for that one moment, and that one moment of pure happiness was enough to make up for the years of sadness and emptiness. Life goes on, after all."

"Yeah," a smile broke out on Misaki's face, making the cloud that hung around Ohjiro dissipate. He smiled, and then, everything seemed to be all right.

~*~

Shuuko had stopped crying. The tears still came, but now, her countenance seemed lighter and she seemed to be calm. She looked down at her daughter and her friends. Ohjiro and Misaki stood next to each other and Misaki had a smile on her face. Tamayo leaned on Koutarou's shoulder and he had his arms around her. She looked up into his face and smiled.

"It seems that they're feeling better," Shouko said. "Shall we go down and be happy with them?"

"I guess so," Shuuko sighed and then shook off the sadness. She smiled at Shouko, "Yeah, let's go."

~`~*~`~

I hope you enjoyed it. And I stopped where I stopped because it just didn't flow right when I tried to add more. I figured that I'd stop when everyone is happy. Please review. I'll do an official thank you to all my reviewers in the epilogue... cuz it's gonna be short. 


	9. Epilogue

It is the last part of Hiroko DarkAngel... and then it's all done. kaput... so i would just like to say thanks to all my reviewers. I couldn't have done it without you guys: Goddess Urd1, Chaotic Demon, Cheiri Blossom, Animefreak / saiko-chan, little wolf blossom, Alexis Knight  
Please enjoy this!!!! 

~*~AL~*~

**Hiroko.  
Yes?  
You are no longer the DarkAngel. You are free now. Free to be happy. Free to be you.  
Yes. Freedom is good. Being happy is nice too.**  
I'm happy for you.  
**Yes, thank you.**

~*~

Tamayo grinned as Hiroko flew into the layer. Three years as champion had been a nightmare. TV cameras and newspapers galore. Now, however, she was facing someone in the final battle whom she had faith in to put up a good fight. If she happened to beat him, then she'd probably go live in a hole for the rest of her life. (A/N: Kinda like Saddam Hussein, eh?) Masao flew into the layer right then, a little more awkwardly than usual, she noticed, but didn't really care. If Koutarou was fumbling, that was his problem. But then again, if he was fumbling, Tamayo might win...

The announcer called for the fight to begin and Masao leapt at Hiroko, who danced gracefully out of the way, causing Masao to fall flat on his face. The crowd laughed, but Masao got right up and attacked again, this time, tripping Hiroko as she tried to get away. Hiroko kicked out at him, sending him spinning across the layer. Tamayo lost track of the battle about five minutes in and let Hiroko take over. She knew it wasn't totally fair, but if you can't focus, it's very hard to do a good job. Koutarou saw Tamayo zone out and made Masao create a loud bang with a small electric attack to jerk her out of her stupor. Tamayo came alive and took over again. From there on in, the battle was pretty much a blur, to both the deuses and the audience. Before any of them knew it, Masao was lying at the edge of the layer, out cold, and Hiroko was looking in disgust down at him, poking him gently with her foot, hoping he'd get up and steal the championship title from her. When the announcer declared that Hiroko had won, she scowled at the crowd, but took her bows all the same.

Then, Masao came back to life, scaring the heck out of Tamayo. Koutarou looked across at her and smiled, his cheeks flushing pink. Tamayo looked at him, a question mark written all over her face.

"I - I may have lost this battle," he began, turning an even brighter shade of pink, "but - but there is another battle I think I'll win more easily."

"Oh?"

Just then, the crowd began to laugh. Tamayo looked down at the layer and snorted, earning herself a sharp glare from her angel.

In the center of the layer, Masao was down on one knee, clasping one of Hiroko's hands tightly, while she tried in vain to pull away. Masao had the most imploring look on his face that Tamayo had ever seen. She looked up at Koutarou in confusion.

"T-Tamayo-chan, will you - will you marry me?"

She sat rigid in shock for several minutes.

"Er-" Obviously the announcer was very confused as well.

Suddenly, the layer changed to a field of roses with little heart balloons floating here and there. Tamayo began to giggle and then looked pointedly down at the layer.

Koutarou followed her eyes and smiled. Hiroko had her arms locked very tightly around Masao and was squeezing him very passionately. So passionately, in fact, that he was almost turning blue. Then, she kissed him soundly and let him go. The angel fell over, dazed and lay there for a moment before getting up and shakily handing Hiroko a box. Tamayo's angel flew up to where she sat and presented the box with the lid open. Inside the box, on the red silk lining, lay a ring. It wasn't anything fancy, just a silver and gold band, but right then, it was worth all the money in the world.

Tamayo took the ring and slid it onto her finger, admiring the way it sparkled in the light. She smiled across at Koutarou and then began to lower her chair until it reached the ground. Koutarou did the same, and they slid onto the ground at the same time. Koutarou began walking around the layer, toward where Tamayo was. Tamayo ran to him and hugged him, much in the same way that Hiroko had hugged Masao.

The stadium erupted into cheers. The newly engaged couple blushed, but waved enthusiastically at the crowd.

~*~

Misaki giggled as she watched the whole thing take place. She glanced up at Ohjiro, who sat beside her.

"I hope you don't do that to me," she said matter-of-factly.

"Who said we're gonna get married?"

"Oh, puh-lease. I saw you buying a ring."

"And who says it's for you?"

"If it isn't, boy, are you in trouble mister."

"Well, I was saving this for tomorrow night, when we're gonna go out, but since you brought it up," got out of his chair and knelt beside hers, "Misaki-chan, will you marry me?"

She grinned and hugged him.

"No."

"What?"

"I'm kidding."

"Oh."

An 'awwww' broke out from the section around them. Misaki grinned at them and then disappeared under her chair.

~*~

The four friends sat at a table in a small restaurant in downtown Tokyo. Originally, it would have just been Ohjiro and Misaki, but considering the events of the previous day, plans had changed. Tamayo and Misaki chattered non-stop to each other while the men looked on in amazement, trying to figure out how exactly women talked ten times faster than either of them could even hope to speak.

Their four angels sat on the centerpiece quietly. But who knows if they were speaking to one another in a way none of us humans could comprehend. Hiroko and Masao held hands and smiled at one another.

  
_The End_  


~*~AL~*~

  
There you have it. It's over. I hope you enjoyed it. I don't think I'm gonna write another Angelic Layer fanfic for awhile because I have about six or seven other stories I want to get done and those are gonna be very long. So please check out my other stories, and if you don't like Inuyasha or Gundam Wing, I have a story called Misfit High up on www.animespiral.com. Bye!!! 


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